Celebrating life at Barchester

The last Friday of the month we host our High Tea Society here at Wheatlands Care Home in our cafe with beautiful views of the Shropshire hills. This free community event is a chance for our residents and members of the local community to come together and enjoy an afternoon of friendship, fun and laughter alongside freshly baked cakes and a pot of tea.

To make this month's High Tea even more special we celebrated Jill's birthday, a dear friend of the Wheatlands.

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Canmore Lodge care home, in Dunfermline, are looking forward to celebrating spring with a fantastic Spring Fayre taking place on Friday 3rd April 2026.

The home will be hosting a variety of seasonal activities for residents, families and the local community to enjoy, including a raffle, spring crafts, Easter egg hunt, stalls, refreshments and live music. The Spring Fayre promises to be a wonderful opportunity to welcome visitors into the home and celebrate the arrival of spring together.

Residents at Canmore Lodge are excited to take part in the preparations and festivities, with activities ranging from creating handmade decorations to baking treats for the big day. Guests attending the fayre will also be able to enjoy a selection of delicious food and drinks prepared by the home’s head chef, Davis Mathai.

General Manager, Kimberley Laird, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming everyone to our Spring Fayre. It’s a lovely way to bring the community together, celebrate the new season and showcase all the wonderful things happening in our home. We hope it will be a fantastic day for everyone who joins us.”

Canmore Lodge is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Canmore Lodge provides nursing care and residential care.

Residents at Barchester Healthcare’s Canmore Lodge care home, in Dunfermline, celebrated Mother’s Day with visits and video calls from family members near and far. The home was beautifully decorated with fresh flowers and bunting for the occasion.

Staff at Canmore Lodge arranged an afternoon tea for residents and their loved ones, beautifully presented with flowers and prosecco. Head chef Davis Mathai prepared a special menu of sandwiches, freshly baked scones, and delicate pastries to mark the occasion, alongside a selection of cakes lovingly made by the residents’ weekly baking club, creating a warm and celebratory atmosphere for everyone in attendance.

General Manager, Kimberley Laird, said: “We’ve all had a really lovely day.  It has been so good to see family members who were able to visit in person and to have video calls with those who are further away. Our residents and families enjoyed a fantastic afternoon tea prepared by our brilliant chefs. Days like these are so precious.”

Canmore Lodge is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Canmore Lodge provides nursing care and residential care.  

Therapy pets are so important to our residents happiness and well-being here at Wheatlands Care Home. We are lucky enough to have the lovely Winston the dog visit us once a month from Pets As Therapy and also a visit from Hoppy Guinea Holidays - with Lisa who brings in her gorgeous guinea pigs for our residents to pet, they find great comfort from holding the snuggly little sqeakers.

Our residents were thrilled to welcome some very special visitors from Cuddly Cavies, a charming group of gentle guinea pigs who certainly brought plenty of smiles with them. There was a wonderful sense of calm and happiness in the room as residents had the opportunity to hold, stroke and spend time with these adorable little animals.

Moments like these often spark fond memories, and it was lovely to hear the conversations flowing as residents shared stories of past pets and experiences. The visit created a warm, relaxed atmosphere and plenty of joy for everyone involved.

Animal visits always hold a special place in our home, and this afternoon was no exception. A heartfelt thank you to Cuddly Cavies for bringing such happiness to our residents. We look forward to seeing you again soon!  

Here at St Thomas Care Home, we have been getting into the spirit of the season a little early by preparing for Easter with a lovely creative afternoon together.

Our residents spent time making beautiful Easter wreaths, using greenery, decorative eggs and a variety of cheerful spring touches. The room was filled with laughter, conversation and a shared sense of creativity as everyone got involved and added their own personal flair to their designs.

It was wonderful to see residents supporting one another, exchanging ideas and simply enjoying each other’s company while crafting something so seasonal and meaningful. Activities like this are a lovely way to bring people together, marking the changing seasons in a simple yet special way.

Well done to all who took part, your wreaths looked absolutely fantastic, and we are now well and truly ready to welcome Easter at our home!

This week is nutrition and hydration week. Here at Wheatlands we have enjoyed a whole host of events throughout the week focusing on the importance of good nutrition and ensuring both our residents and staff stay hydrated.

We kicked off the week with facials and fizz with Kerri from Tropic Skincare ensuring we are hydrating are skin as well as our body. Residents also enjoyed a host of activities from pudding club to food inspired quizzes throughout the week and ended with Fruity Friday making and enjoying delicious and refreshing fruit kebabs.
 

Our lovely residents were treated to a fantastic performance by Sadie from Strictly Entertainment, who brought her fabulous Swing into Spring show to us, and what a delight it was from beginning to end. From the very first note, the room came alive with smiles, toe-tapping and the joyful sound of residents singing along.

The nostalgic melodies carried everyone gently down memory lane, sparking fond memories and plenty of laughter. Sadie’s stunning costume changes added an extra touch of magic, beautifully transporting us through the eras. Each new outfit was met with gasps of delight and warm rounds of applause, creating a real sense of excitement throughout the performance.

It was heart-warming to see our residents so engaged, singing their hearts out, sharing stories, and simply enjoying the moment together. There was a wonderful sense of connection in the room, a reminder of how powerful music can be in bringing people closer.

A huge thank you to Sadie for such an uplifting and memorable morning. We are already looking forward to welcoming her back again soon!

Today we have celebrated the patron saint of Ireland, with some Irish sing-along, quizzes, dressing in hats and beards, followed by an afternoon of shamrock shakes and Guinness!  

What better way to celebrate?